Newsletter
Volume 1 September 2019
Amanda Thibert
Welcome to my Cultivate Growth newsletter where I hope to stimulate thought, offer experiments and add value to your journey! Amanda
How Do Metaphors Shape Your Life?
Life Is…
 
A journey, a garden, a rollercoaster, a game, a race, a book, a mystery, a battle, a dance… the list of metaphors is endless.

My body is…
A temple, a machine, a train wreck…
 
Metaphors help us define and describe our experiences. We use metaphors in all areas of our life, yet we often don’t tune into the positive or negative impact they can have.
 
In his Power Talk on metaphors from 25 years ago, Tony Robbins points out that it’s not life, but the way that you represent life that determines how you feel. Each metaphor we adopt has beliefs, rules, ideas and behaviors about what we are willing to do or not do connected to it. Tony points out that metaphors can amplify or lessen emotion and thereby can empower or disempower. What works in one area of our life may not work as well in another area. In other words, one metaphor does not fit all situations. He challenges us to look at the ones we use and how they impact our way of being. He encourages us to select our metaphors with intelligence and care and to change the ones that aren’t working.
 
The stories we tell ourselves and the meanings we attach shape how we both take in and interact with our world. Our metaphors are often the umbrella under which these stories lay. If we adopt a different metaphor, we start to notice new things, alter the meanings we attach, seek new evidence and we can experience a shift. They can help move us in the direction we want to be going.

At one point in my life, I imagined that I was strong like a steel rod. This image helped me to stand tall, have confidence, speak up, and feel unbreakable. But the image also created rigidity and coldness. A steel rod could not bend or branch out and reflected only one way to have strength. So I adopted the image of a tree for my sense of strength. Deeply rooted and able to bend with the wind without breaking. Offering many branches that can support and protect. Having the ability to grow and go through all the seasons. This new metaphor has afforded me many more options!
 
I invite you to consider your own metaphors: about life, your relationships, your body, your work…

The first step is noticing and naming the ones that exist:
·   Write them all down-.If you’re not sure if you have metaphors, try asking questions like, What is food? What is a friend? and see what arises.
 
 The second step is assessing how our metaphors work for us:
·   What meaning do your metaphors have for you?
·   Do they help you move toward your vision and goals or away? What do they allow for? How might they limit?

 The third step is deciding if we want to keep our metaphor as it is in our tool box, or do we need to change it:
·   If a metaphor is limiting, try replacing it with a new one that offers more possibility
·   Play with it and notice the impact
    
Your metaphors are the soundtracks in your head. They affect your thought patterns, feelings and actions. Choose wisely!
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